Oscar

By Rio Coimbra / 1 July 2013 / 0 Comments

Name: Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Jnior (Oscar) Date of Birth: Se!tember 1 1

Nationality: Bra"ilian Position: #ttac$in% &id'ielder Club: C(elsea Making his name:

Oscar )as born to a middle*class 'amily in #mericana+ a small city in t(e state o' S,o -aulo.about 2 (ours a)ay 'rom t(e ca!ital+ and be%an (is 'ootball education at nearby club /ni,o Barbarense0 1t )as al)ays %oin% to be a matter o' time be'ore one o' t(e bi% -aulista clubs too$ notice o' t(e !layma$er in local yout( com!etitions+ and in 2002 S,o -aulo scouts too$ notice o' t(e scra)ny 13*year*old and !rom!tly lured (im a)ay0 By 2003+ as a 14 year old+ Oscar )as !romoted to t(e 'irst*time at S,o -aulo+ )(ile also !artici!atin% 'or Bra"il at /nder*14 le5els0 6e 7uic$ly be%an %ainin% )ider attention nationally as (e made a (and'ul o' a!!earances 'or t(e S,o -aulo 'irst team in t(e 200 season0

# 'allin% out soon occurred bet)een Oscar and S,o -aulo (o)e5er+ )it( t(e !layer claimin% in 2010 t(at t(e club (ad not 'ul'illed its contract obli%ations+ )it( se5eral !ayments (a5in% not occurred0 Oscar too$ t(e case u! in court+ and (is la)yers claimed (is contract )it( S,o -aulo )as no lon%er 5alid due to t(e breac(es0 #s a result+ in mid*2010+ Oscar si%ned 'or 1nternacional o' -orto #le%re )(ile t(e case still dra%%ed on in t(e courts0

#lt(ou%( initially only !art o' t(e 1nter /nder*23 side+ by t(e end o' t(e year Oscar (ad bro$en into t(e 1nternacional 'irst team+ and+ in 2011+ became an inte%ral !art o' t(e s7uad0 6e )ould %o on to 'orm a stron% !artners(i! )it( #r%entinian #ndres 89#lessandro in t(e middle o' t(e !ar$ 'or 1nter+ and t(e t)o became t(e creati5e (ub o' t(e team0 8es!ite a 'e)

in:uries t(at year+ Oscar still mana%ed to (it double 'i%ures 'or bot( %oals and assists0 ;(is )as all in addition to some su!erb a!!earances 'or t(e Bra"il /nder*20 side at t(e 2011 Sout( #merican c(am!ions(i! and+ later+ at t(e yout( <orld Cu!.a tournament (e ca!!ed o'' by a (at*tric$ in t(e 'inal0

1n 2012+ )it( 89#lessandro in:ured in t(e be%innin% o' t(e season+ Oscar became an e5en more !rominent !layer in t(e 1nter side+ and also be%an to act more centrally ()(ereas+ )it( 89#lessandro+ (e o'ten !layed on t(e ri%(t 'lan$)0 #lt(ou%( =eandro 8ami,o )as ma$in% (is o)n (eadlines u!'ront 'or 1nter )it( a scintillatin% scorin% record+ t(e attention )as still mostly 'ocused on t(e dis!lays o' t(e more subtle !layma$er be(ind (im0 #s (is !ro'ile rose+ and Euro!ean interest escalated+ S,o -aulo suddenly brou%(t t(e le%al case bac$+ claimin% Oscar )as still ri%(t'ully t(eir !layer as (is trans'er to 1nter (ad not been sanctioned by t(e club0 # court settlement e5entually 'orced 1nter to !ay t(e -aulista side >? million+ but :ust a 'e) mont(s later 1nter t(emsel5es cas(ed in )(en t(ey acce!ted a >2@ million o''er 'rom C(elsea in t(e 2012 summer trans'er )indo)0

C(elsea 'ans %ot to see a %lim!se o' t(at ne) !layer t(at summer+ as Oscar !layed an inte%ral !art in Bra"il9s Olym!ic s7uad+ )(o marc(ed to t(e 'inal in =ondon0 #lt(ou%( Bra"il (ad to settle 'or sil5er a%ainst &eAico+ many !in!ointed Oscar as t(e !layer o' t(e tournament 'or (is mature dis!lays 'or Bra"il0 -layin% more o' a central !layma$er role+ o'ten dro!!in% rat(er dee!+ (e dictated t(e !ace o' t(e %ames and %rabbed e5en more (eadlines t(an (is 'las(ier com!atriot Beymar0

Oscar9s 'irst year at C(elsea )as to be anot(er bri%(t one0 #lt(ou%( (e )as eased into t(e side a'ter t(e Olym!ics+ o'ten comin% o'' t(e benc(+ (e announced (is class to t(e )orld )it( t)o (eadline %rabbin% a!!earances in t(e C(am!ions =ea%ue0 ;(e 'irst )as a t)o %oal (aul in (is 'irst start 'or t(e club a%ainst none ot(er t(an Ju5entus+ )it( t(e second o' (is %oals a su!erb 'irst touc( and s)i5el and 'la)less stri$e !ast Cianlui%i Bu''on0 ;(at )as soon 'ollo)ed u! by a succulent 5olley 'rom t(e (al'*)ay line a%ainst S(a$(tar0 #lt(ou%( (e )as o'ten rotated+ Oscar still !layed o5er ?0 %ames 'or C(elsea+ (ittin% double 'i%ured 'or bot( %oals and assists+ )it( !artners(i! )it( 6a"ard and &ata o' !articular im!ortance to t(e side0 By t(e end o' t(e year (e )as also 'irmly establis(ed in t(e Bra"il national s7uad+ bein% 'a5ored o5er t(e li$es o' in*'orm Ronaldin(o 'or Bra"il9s success at t(e 2013 Con'ederations Cu!0

Style of play:

1t )ould be crude to label Oscar as a classic Bra"ilian D100 ;(at stereoty!ical tec(nical !layer is %i5en a 'ree role in mid'ield+ and is c(ar%ed )it( t(e de'ense s!littin% 5ision to 'eed t(e %oal scorers u!'ront0 ;(ey dra) t(e !laudits 'or tec(ni7ue and 5ision+ s(immyin% a)ay 'rom c(allen%es nonc(alantly be'ore uneA!ectedly s(o)in% t(e ty!e o' creati5ity 'ans can9t (el! but a!!laud0 Crude+ not because Oscar isn9t ca!able o' t(ese t(in%s ((e most certainly is)+ but because it detracts 'rom (o) modern o' a !layer (e is+ (a5in% e5ol5ed !ast t(ese tired old labels in muc( t(e same )ay t(e %ame o' 'ootball (as e5ol5ed o5er t(e !ast decades0 6is %ame is less about s)a%%er and more about intelli%ent decision ma$in%+

'ueled by (is cris! !assin% and delicate touc(es0 6is 'irst touc(+ in !articular+ is eAcellent+ and (is ability to !o! u! t(rou%(out t(e !itc(+ )it( a )ell timed late run into t(e boA or a one*t)o on t(e 'lan$s+ can ma$e you 'eel li$e (e is !layin% multi!le !ositions0 #nd in many )ays+ (e is0

;o better understand Oscar9s %ame one needs to loo$ at (is 5ersatility )(en linin% u! on t(e 'ield0 Eor 1nter (e )as o'ten de!loyed on t(e ri%(t o' mid'ield+ 'or Bra"il9s /nder*20 side (e )as %i5en a 'ree role and seemin%ly dri'ted )(ere (e )is(ed+ )(ereas 'or C(elsea (e alternates !layin% any)(ere across t(e attac$in% mid'ield t(ree and+ 'or Bra"il+ (e o'ten !lays more centrally.(a5in% e5en !layed as a -irlo*es7ue dee!*lyin% !layma$er0 ;(is 5ersatility does not e5en 'ully eA!lain (is dynamism t(ou%(+ as (is tactical a)areness is sensational0

;(rou%(out %ames Oscar ada!ts not only in t(e sel'is( sense o' mo5in% into areas )(ere (e can 'ind more s!ace+ but also more s!eci'ically in !lu%%in% t(e %a!s le't be(ind by any o' (is o)n roamin% teammates0 #t t(e /nder*20 <orld Cu! t(is )ould o'ten be Coutin(o+ 'or C(elsea it )ould be t(e similarly intelli%ent &ata (and to some eAtent 6a"ard)0 #t t(e Con'ederations Cu!+ mean)(ile+ as Beymar and 6ul$ start )ide but cut inside to)ards %oal+ Oscar )ill 're7uently dro! to t(e 'lan$s to 'ill t(e 5oids0 ;actically t(is a)areness is im!ortant not only in terms o' balancin% t(e team and 'indin% s!ace in t(e attac$in% sense+ but also in t(e role it !lays de'ensi5ely )(en t(e team loses !ossession0

Oscar is neit(er t(e 'astest nor t(e most !(ysical o' !layers+ and yet (is de'ensi5e contributions and intelli%ent !ressin% are o'ten lauded as!ects o' (is %ame+ made !ossible by (is intelli%ent !ositionin%0 8es!ite (is stature (e is not easy to s(o5e o'' t(e ball+ and (e can do a sur!risin%ly %ood :ob at !rotectin% t(e ball at times+ a%ainst muc( bi%%er o!!osition !layers0

What others say:

Oscar is a player weve been dreaming of having [for Brazil] for a long time. Since before the 2 ! "orld #$p really% for years weve wanted a player li&e him. 'e has come into the team to f$llfil the role we hoped (anso wo$ld fill ) which* beca$se of in+$ries and circ$mstances* he didnt. ,his role of being a central player that connects play* that dictates play* who thin&s* organizes* and participates the entire game.- . #arlos /lberto 0arreira* Brazil "orld #$p winning manager

Oscar is a wonderf$l player* perhaps the most important player to come o$t of Brazilian football in recent years. 0erhaps above 1eymar* who is also fantastic. 'owever* Oscar is a midfielder in the f$ll sense of the word.- . ,im 2ic&ery* BB# and Spor,2 +o$rnalist The uture:

Oscar is no) 'irmly establis(ed as one o' t(e most eAcitin% youn% !layers in t(e En%lis( -remier =ea%ue0 #lt(ou%( Eden 6a"ard is !robably %rabbin% more (eadlines o5erall+ and Juan &ata is t(e more mature and consistent !er'ormer+ at 21 it is still 5ery muc( eA!ected t(at Oscar )ill continue im!ro5e0 #lt(ou%( com!etition at clubs li$e C(elsea is al)ays (i%(+ )it( e5ery summer brin%in% in ne) talent to com!ete 'or !ositions+ 'e) )ill doubt t(at Oscar is u! 'or t(e c(allen%e0 <it( &ourin(o comin% bac$ to t(e Blues and (a5in% a )ell documented a!!reciation 'or 5ersatile !layers+ it )ill be interestin% to obser5e )(ere )e see Oscar !layin% most o'ten neAt season0 <it( more naturally )ide !layers li$e Sc(urrle and 8e Bruyne arri5in%+ it mi%(t be Oscar is more o'ten utili"ed in t(e center o' t(e !itc(.but :ust (o) ad5anced (e )ill be is anot(er 7uestion0 #s mentioned Oscar is also 5ery muc( a $ey !art o' t(e Bra"il national team+ and most ob5iously t(e 2012 <orld Cu! )ill soon be t(e center o' attention0 <it( Bra"il as a )(ole en:oyin% a resur%ence due to a youn% %eneration )it( t(e li$es o' Beymar+ =ucas &oura+ and to some eAtent Bernard+ Coutin(o+ and <ellin%ton Bem+ t(e 2012 tournament )ill come as t(ese !layers are on t(e brin$ o' maturity but still 5ery muc( (un%ry 'or success0 ;(ere is little doubt+ t(ou%(+ t(at Oscar )ill be in5ol5ed in t(e national team setu! 'or 7uite some time a'ter 20120 ;(e 2012*13 season )ill be 5ery muc( a case o' Fmore o' t(e sameG 'or t(e attac$in% mid'ielder+ )it( continued de5elo!ment t(e aim 'or t(e season0 # ne) mana%er )ill brin% ne) c(allen%es at club le5el+ and C(elsea )ill be eA!ected to 'i%(t 'or t(e -remier =ea%ue title.brin%in% additional !ressure on a s7uad containin% se5eral youn%+ but talented+ attac$in% !layers0 1' Oscar can continue to %ro) in in'luence )it( t(e Blues+ t(en it )ill only (el! (im at international le5el0 <(en con'ident+ (e is already able to a''ect matc(es at t(e 5ery (i%(est le5el.no) (e must ma$e sure (e is able to do so on a more re%ular basis0